Ideal age to join?

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Swinger

I've decided to join the paras and I'm going through the recruitment process now. What would you say is the ideal age to join up? I'm 24 and will be 25 in a couple of months. I know I am well within the age range but would you consider this to be a good age to join?

By the time I pass out I will almost be 26. Would you say I've left it a little late?

Swinger

It is 33 (upto and including the 33rd birthday) for a full 22 year engagement which they did offer me then they realised they made a F*** up, GUTTED.
So now will be an s-type engagement (though versatile engagement next year) because ive been in before yes, however i have no reckonable previous service other than a recruit at Depot Para Aldershot in the 90's.

Should be fun as a 34 year old recurit, getting to battallion where alot of mates are Senior NCO's, great, LOL.....34 yr old joe crow AWESOME....gotta take it on the chin and suck it up, head down, thumb up arse and go,go,go and hopefully dont let too many young whippernsappers take over me, NOT A CHANCE LOL

War Hero

I've decided to join the paras and I'm going through the recruitment process now. What would you say is the ideal age to join up? I'm 24 and will be 25 in a couple of months. I know I am well within the age range but would you consider this to be a good age to join?

By the time I pass out I will almost be 26. Would you say I've left it a little late?

Old-Salt

It is 33 (upto and including the 33rd birthday) for a full 22 year engagement which they did offer me then they realised they made a F*** up, GUTTED.
So now will be an s-type engagement (though versatile engagement next year) because ive been in before yes, however i have no reckonable previous service other than a recruit at Depot Para Aldershot in the 90's.

Should be fun as a 34 year old recurit, getting to battallion where alot of mates are Senior NCO's, great, LOL.....34 yr old joe crow AWESOME....gotta take it on the chin and suck it up, head down, thumb up arse and go,go,go and hopefully dont let too many young whippernsappers take over me, NOT A CHANCE LOL

That struck a chord with me. I turned 35 on my Recruit Course for the Oz Army Reserve (quite a few yrs ago now). I'd finished my time in the Brit Army (infantry - 1PWO); came to Oz; gave the game a rest for a few yrs, then joined Oz Army Reserve. Most of my fellow recruits were half my age, but I held my own in the physical fitness stakes (learned a few short-cuts?) and I could tell a helluva lot more warries than anyone else. No, being in yr 30s is good stuff: you're mature & still physically good. Best decade of yr life, believe me.
Cheers,
Cliff.

War Hero

You are better off joining as a teenager, as you stand a better chance of doing a full tour. I was back with 1 Para in 2005 and nearly all the older members of the Regiments were carrying some form of injury, not serious but the niggeling sort.

Swinger

You are better off joining as a teenager, as you stand a better chance of doing a full tour. I was back with 1 Para in 2005 and nearly all the older members of the Regiments were carrying some form of injury, not serious but the niggeling sort.

I wouldnt say that joining as an older means you are more likely to incur injury, the older guys in battallion carrying injuries have probably been doing it since 16/17/18 etc which to have some niggling injuries after a long tour of service is to be expected, you cna still carry out a full tour whateve age you join at, everyone is different. Besides, alot of guys have served for long periods of time, carry injuries yet still attend SF selection, Pathfinders etc in their more mature years, these courses are more demanding than basic recruit training yet they still perform. So joining at mid to late 20's and early 30's is not a problem at all.

I think the older not being able to perform or more likely to incur injury is a minority thing. Wars are not fought on teenagers shoulders by any stretch (though war is all about old men talking and young men dying but thats by the by).

Anyways i reckon if you are of sound mind and body and have the character the older recruit has as much if not more to offer then services.